Epimerisation of saccharides

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for an epimerization of a saccharide in a microdevice consisting of a network of micron-sized channels in presence of molybdenum containing catalyst. It further relates to the use of a microdevice consisting of a network of micron-sized channels for the epimerization reaction of saccharides and the oligomerization of the thus obtained epimerized saccharide, preferably into manno-oligosaccharides.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A process for the epimerisation of a saccharide, the process comprising: a) providing a molybdenum-containing catalyst that is fixed onto an inorganic carrier; b) applying the molybdenum-containing catalyst into a microdevice, wherein the microdevice consists of a network of micron-sized channels and the molybdenum-containing catalyst is attached to, incorporated into, or supported on at least one micron-sized channel of the microdevice; and c) feeding an aqueous solution containing the saccharide into the microdevice, thereby contacting the aqueous solution with a molybdenum-containing catalyst to provide an epimerized saccharide. 
     
     
       2. The process of  claim 1 , wherein the epimerisation reaction is run for less than about 5 minutes. 
     
     
       3. The process of  claim 1 , wherein the epimerisation reaction is run for less than about 2.5 minutes. 
     
     
       4. The process of  claim 1 , wherein the epimerisation reaction is run for less than about 1 minute. 
     
     
       5. The process of  claim 1 , wherein the saccharide is glucose and the epimerized saccharide is mannose. 
     
     
       6. The process of  claim 5 , further comprising: d) oligomerizing the epimerized saccharide in a microdevice consisting of a network of micron-sized channels to provide manno-oligosaccharides. 
     
     
       7. The process of  claim 5 , further comprising: d) oligomerizing the epimerized saccharide in a microdevice consisting of a network of micron-sized channels in the presence of an acidifying catalyst to provide manno-oligosaccharides. 
     
     
       8. The process of  claim 5 , further comprising: e) feeding the epimerized saccharide-containing solution into a microdevice consisting of a network of micron-sized channels and in the presence of an acidifying catalyst to allow for oligomerisation of the epimerized saccharide-containing solution into manno-oligosaccharides. 
     
     
       9. The process of  claim 5 , further comprising: d) enriching mannose of the epimerized saccharide-containing solution to provide an enriched-mannose solution. 
     
     
       10. The process of  claim 9 , further comprising: e) feeding the enriched mannose solution or a mixture of the enriched mannose solution with the epimerized saccharide-containing solution into a microdevice consisting of a network of micron-sized channels and in the presence of an acidifying catalyst to allow for oligomerisation of the enriched mannose solution or a mixture of the enriched mannose solution with the epimerized saccharide-containing solution into manno-oligosaccharides. 
     
     
       11. The process of  claim 9 , further comprising: f) isolating mannose from the enriched-mannose solution. 
     
     
       12. The process of  claim 11 , further comprising: g) feeding the mannose-containing solution, the enriched mannose solution, the isolated mannose, or a mixture of two or more thereof into a microdevice consisting of a network of micron-sized channels and in the presence of an acidifying catalyst to allow for oligomerisation of the mannose-containing solution, the enriched mannose solution, the isolated mannose, or a mixture of two or more thereof into manno-oligosaccharides.